ATTENZIONE ALFISTI - Kevin Harper has set up a nice club drive up in the mountains; details are below:
Aug 14-16 – The MAARC Cinquecento Miglia Drive – Mid-Atlantic Alfa Romeo Car Club 500 mile tour in the mountains of NC/SC. Starting point will be in Morganton NC, which is about 2 hours west of Greensboro and the ending point will be in Gaffney SC which is about 1 hour southeast of Charlotte. The drive will last three days with approximately 4-4 ½ hours of driving each day.
Each morning we will break into groups of 4 or 5 cars, and leave the hotel in 5 minute intervals. I will try to break the groups up into driving styles for maximum enjoyment.
Everyone will have route notes which will include the directions and points of interest along the way.
The groups will be broken down as such:
Nuvolari Group – I am a direct descendent of Tazio Nuvolari and Alberto Ascari.
Roger Goodfellow String back Group – I enjoy a nice drive in the country in a nice sporty car. My speed is limited by how sick I make my significant other.
Flower group – I not only like to stop and smell the roses I like to inspect the bees.
Buddy Palumbo Group – aka Sweeper group – I enjoy a nice drive in the country, and though I am not the fastest I do possess tools, parts, skill, and compassion to fix broken chariots along the way. I always start last.
Schedule of events
Aug 13th - Arrive in the afternoon at the Hampton Inn in Morganton, NC. For those arriving early there is a Fatz restaurant just down the road available for dinner. Cost for the Hampton will be approx 100 USD, breakfast included. – For those arriving on Aug 14th we will leave the next day at approximately 10am.
Hampton Inn Morganton
115 bush Drive
Morganton, NC 28655
828-432-2000
Aug 14th – Breakfast at the Hampton from 8-10 am
Drivers meeting and leave the Hampton at 10am
The drive will be from Morganton to Balsam NC. Total drive time will be 4 hours and 26 minutes and cover 147 miles. There will be a short cut for those who wish which will cut out 28 miles and an hour driving time.
This drive starts easy, for 20 miles or so. Gets pretty twisty around the Lake Lure area, eases up for a bit and the gets real twisty as we go through the Pisgah National forest.
Dinner and the hotel will be at the Balsam Mountain Inn. Cost of the Inn is ~145 USD and up. Breakfast is included, but not dinner.
Balsam Mountain Inn
68 Seven Springs Drive
Balsam, NC 28707
828-456-9498
800-224-9498
www.balsammountaininn.com
Aug 15th – Breakfast at the Balsam Inn from 8-10 am
Drivers meeting and leave at 10am –
This drive will be from Balsam to the Franklin, NC. Total drive time will be about 4 hours, and there are no short cuts.
This drive starts twisty and remains so for most of the day, with a few breaks along the way. It starts in the Pisgah National Forrest goes toward the Dragon’s Back in Fontaine and then through the Nantahala national forest. You will have the option of doing the unofficial Dragon’s back if you really, really want to, but you will be tired and possibly seasick.
The lodging will be at the Hampton Inn in Franklin – Room cost from 88 USD
Hampton Inn, Franklin
244 Cunningham Rd
Franklin, NC 28734
828-369-0600 Voice 828-369-0700 Fax
Aug 16th – Breakfast from 8-10am – Location Hampton Inn
Drivers meeting at 10am and we may leave a little late today
This drive will be from the Franklin to Gaffney, SC, You will drive though 3 states on this day, NC, Georgia, and SC, with a final return to NC. This day starts on the twisties and then changes to easy country lanes as it follows the Cherokee trails. In the middle of the twisties is a nice stop in the Highlands of NC.
The end point will probably be Cowpens Battleground National Park. Cowpens national Park is close to Gaffney which offers easy access to interstate 85 for returning to our homes. Gaffney is about 1 hour south west of Charlotte.
So you want to Join us…
What do you need to do?
First, all hotels reservations are your responsibility. Tell each one that you are with the MAARC (Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo Club) group.
Send me, Kevin Harper e-mail kevinharper1@gmail.com or KLHarper@mebtel.net , your mobile telephone number and which group you best fit in. If you feel you are split between 2 groups please let me know also. This will help me split the groups up. The reason for the mobile numbers is not so that I can sell them to a telemarketer, but so we can make a list and keep up with lost people.
I will send you a confirmation e-mail. I will also send out specific route instruction around August 7th so you will know the route beforehand and of course these will be available at the event.
I would suggest sign up by August 1st, you can push it later, but hotel availability and rates may not be there.
You are more than welcome to join us for a single section of the tour also.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
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